The power of the poor
Boitshepo Majube | Monday December 9, 2013 11:23
A high number of voters were recorded in high-density areas and villages, compared to low-density urban areas.
More people vote in rural villages than in towns. This pattern of voting has turned high-density areas and villages into swing states of sorts. Statistics from the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) show that rural area dwellers have registered for the 2014 elections in greater numbers than urbanites. In the recent voter registration drive, some villages saw a record 4,000 registering for the elections.
From 4th to 20th October, a total 293,101 had registered for elections countrywide against the IEC’s target of 1.3 million by the end of the month. Sefhare-Ramokgonami boasted the highest number of registered voters at 8,430 while Gaborone South had the lowest registrants at 2,564.
Urbanites usually wait for supplementary registration. Political parties have also expressed concern at the low number of registrants. Botswana Congress Party (BCP) spokesperson Taolo Lucas was quoted after registration saying he hopes the number of registrants in the city will pick up this week.
“My speculation is that many people in the city are formal employees and times for registration are not favourable to them. They know their responsibilities very well,” he said.
He said that the rate of unemployment is high in villages and people have time to register.
The majority of the poor in Botswana reside in high-density areas where accommodation is cheaper while the rich reside in low-density areas that are lowly populated and usually very expensive. Despite low density areas being lowly populated than high-density areas, only a quarter of people from high-density areas who register for elections vote.
“If you are from the village starting life in the city or towns, high density areas are the best because accommodation is cheap and affordable,” Thomas Nko of Gaborone West said.
As to why they vote in large numbers, and most of the time, for people who live in low density areas, Nko said it is easy to convince a poor man, than a rich, well educated man. “We poor people or under-employed people look up to these well-off people, we respect them too much, which in-turn clouds our judgment,” he said, adding that they also drum up support for them.
Nko was however quick to point out that after voting them into Parliament they forget about them and continue with their flashy life.
Most in rural areas are unemployed or under-employed.
In the City of Francistown, Buti Billy did not do well in low-density areas, especially Francistown Central, where the majority of the rich stay. Skelemani triumphed in this area, but the numbers did not boost him to fend off Buti’s challenge.
Billy clearly capitalised in high-density areas.
The number of people who voted for Tshekedi Khama in the last BDP primary elections in his constituency was higher than the number of people who voted in the BDP primary elections in Gaborone Central, for all candidates combined.
IEC’s Osupile Maroba concurs that people in high-density areas and villages vote in large numbers than those in low-density areas.
“IEC intends to do a study after the elections, but it is obvious, and numbers show that people in high-density areas and villages vote in large numbers than those in low-density areas,” he said.
Pointing out factors that he suspects keeps voters in low density areas away from the ballot, Maroba said people who are well-off may be thinking that they cannot waste time in queues.
“Some of them are business people who think they would rather spend their time focusing on their businesses than queuing to vote,” he said.
He further pointed out that people in low density areas are more aware of politics, and in most cases don’t vote for the party, but individuals.
“Low density area voters are more informed than those in high density areas or villages,” he said.
Political analyst, Professor Zibani Maundeni of the University of Botswana, explained that people from high-density areas can be easily bought by money or ideology.
“Usually people from high density areas don’t stand for parliamentary seats, paving way for those from low density areas to take over easily,” he said. He also added that it is expensive to campaign.
“In primary elections there are no issues, people vote for personalities,” he said.
He stated that it is during national elections that people vote looking at policies and procedures.